Sashless window



Dec. 17, 1963 J. G. slMARD ETAL sAsHLEss wINDow Filed Jan. 9, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,7770/1 NEX;

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Dec. 17, 1963 J. G. slMARD ETAL SASHLESS WINDOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 Dec. 17, 1963 .1.6. slMARD ETAL SASHLESS WINDOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 J.' Grard SIMA/W2 ona la 5/ MA R 0 AWR/Vins J. G. SIMARD ETAL Dgc. 17, 1963 SASHLESS WINDOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 /lwenrans J Geraro .SIMA RD @amv/d SMAR Arromvfvs Dec. 17, 1963 J. G. slMARD ETAL SASHLESS WINDOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 MWF/vivas .l Ge'rara SINARD United States Patent O 3,1i4l,77 SASHLLESS WINDW Joseph Grard Simard and Donald Simard, both of Si? Roosevelt St., Quebec, Quebec, Canada Filed dan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,597 6 Claims. (Cl. 2li-52) This invention pertains to a sashless window of the type wherein opening of the window is obtained by horizontal displacement of the panes.

Sashless windows of the type with which the invention is concerned comprise a rectangular frame having upper and lower horizontal tracks containing the panes; the outer pane being iixed in position while the inner one is horizontally and slidably movable over the outer one. The upper track is also of a suilficient depth to permit raisin of the panes to move them laterally out of their housing.

In present day vwindows of this type, the inner pane is freely mounted and guided in the upper and lower tracks so that the full weight thereof rests in the lower track. Since displacement of the pane is produced by pulling at approximately mid-height, should the sliding surface in the lower track be a bit sticky, a couple of forces will be created which will tend to pivot the pane forwardly. The result will be that the pane will move with diiiculty and may even refuse to move at all in the case of the heavier panes, as in the large picture windows.

Furthermore, those windows have to move one over the other in close spatial relationsiup to provide an airtight seal in the closed position. It is obvious then that when the panes rub together, should there be small particles of grit in between, the surfaces of the panes, will become scratched and marred.

The -invention purports to overcome the diiiiculty of moving the inner pane laterally when the sliding surface becomes sticky. It is one of its objects to provide a sashess window with an inner pane that can be slid with the least amount of efforts and which will not freeze in place at any time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will prevent the rubbing of one pane against the other in the opening movement and thus eliminate any scratching and marring.

A still further object of the invention lies in the provision oi a sashless window having novel means which will positively lock the inner pane when in closed position.

The inventive idea consists in providing means whereby the inner pane is hung in the upper track instead of resting in the lower track. It then becomes possible to provide a smoothly running supporting structure, the sliding of which will require very little effort and which will greatly reduce the possibility of the aforesaid tendency to stick. The pane supporting structure also has a spacing member adapted to keep one pane away from the other when moving in the open direction and which will be housed in a suitable recess or notch when moving into closed position, so that it will prevent direct contact of one pane against the other during the opening movement.

The supporting structure comprises a horizontal U-shaped element onto which the pane is fixed and which hangs by having the upper horizontal leg supported on a guide member. This cantilever hanging produces inclination of the pane and spaces it from the other pane which is advantageous when opening the window. Once in closed position, pressing means in the sill of the window will move the lower part of the inner pane against the outer pane while resilient means in the supporting element will likewise press the upper part of the inner pane against the outer pane.

A better understanding of the invention, as Well as ICC other objects and advantages thereof, will be had by the following description of a preferred embodiment, given as an example only, and having reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of a sashless window embodying the features of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sashless window of the invention, taken along line 2 2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of the supporting element,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the end of an inner pane as hooked onto the supporting element,

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view, in elevation, of the removable holding part as fixed to the supporting element,

FlGS. 6 and 7 are detail views along lines 6 6 and 7 7 respectively, of FIG. 3 while FIG. 8 is a detail view along line 8 3 of FIG. 4,

FIGS. 9 and 10, both are views along line 9 9 of FIG. 3 but showing the supporting element in two different positions,

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, in plan, along line Il il of FIG. 1,

FIGS. l2 and 13 show two detail views taken along lines M IZ and 13 13 respectively of FIG. 1l,

FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17, illustrate, in cross-section elevation View, four different positions of the pane as it is being removed from the window frame, and

FIG. 18 gives a perspective elevation view of a novel screen frame used with the sashless window.

Generally, and as shown in FIG. l, the sashless Window embodying the invention, comprises a frame l having an upper horizontal member 3, a lower horizontal member 5, the two members being spaced by two upright side members 'l'. It normally has two outer panes 9 and two inner panes il; one set being on the inside and another set on the outside with the inner pane of each set overlapping the outer pane of that set in the closed position.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the outer panes 9 are housed and iixed in grooves 13 and 13 while the inner panes are movable in upper tracks l5 and lower tracks 1'7.

As each set of inner and outer panes are identical, the description of one set only is given.

The supporting means of the invention comprises, generally, a guide member 19 which is fixed to the upper member 3 inwardly of the frame ll and on which slides a supporting element 2l. Cooperating means on the supporting element 21 and the inner pane 11 are provided to hold the pane in slightly elevated position in lower track i7. In order to easily mount and dismount the inner pane from the supporting element, the latter is provided, at one end, with a fixed holding part 23 (FIG. 3) integral therewith and a removable holding part 25. The pane 11 is mounted on supporting element 2l by mounting a rst edge on xed holding part 23 and, thereafter, moving holding part 25' into hooking engagement with the other edge of pane Il and then locking part 23 onto supporting element 2l as will be explained in more details later.

Guide member 19 is a substantally dat, generally rectangular, elongated member extending right across the frame and fixed thereto by any known means, such as screws 19', in such a manner as to overhang upper track 15.

Supporting element Z1 is best illustrated in FIG. 3 while its use, in cooperation with guide member 19, is perhaps best grasped in FIG. 2. Member 2li is generally U-shaped in cross-section with an upper leg Z7, a lower leg 29 and a web 31 (FIG. 3). Furthermore, leg 29 is provided with an inward upstanding short flange 33. A series of nylon grummets 3S, 37 are press-fitted in suitable edge grooves on iiange 33 and upper leg 27 respectively. These grummets serve to help the sliding action of supporting element 21 on guide member 19.

At one end of supporting element 21 depends a lined holding part 23 integral with element 21. This part 23 terminates, at the lower end thereof, with a sideward lug 39 which has an inner surface inclined with respect to the adjacent surface of part 23, as clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and S. Lug 39 is adapted to ilt a complementary square slot il of pane 1l having an incline surface cooperating with the aforesaid incline surface on lug 39 so that pane 21 will not be removed from supporting element 11 when engaged therewith. FIGS. 4 and 8 show how lug 39 engages slot 41.

A second holding part 23 is provided for the other side edge of pane 11. This holding part 23 however, depends from a portion 25 removably engageable with supporting element 21. Portion 25 is also U-shaped in crosssection and has a lower leg 29 over which is secured an engagement plate 43, as best seen from FIG. 5. This plate 43, in assembled condition of the supporting or hooking means, will overlap the end of lower leg 29 opposite fixed holding part 23. This end of leg 29 is provided with a longitudinal slot 45 for the reception of the threaded shank of a tightening and retaining wing nut 47 screwable into a suitably threaded aperture in plate 43 and having an abutment flat head 49 which rests on the undersurface of lower leg 29.

A spacer, in this case a freely rotatable wheel S1, is mounted on the end of the supporting element 21 having the depending holding part 23 and rests on the upper leg 27. It should be observed, from FIG. 2 particularly, that wheel or spacer 51 projects outwardly past the lateral edge of both element 2l and the edge of pane l1 for a purpose to be described later.

Within the space formed by lower leg 29, web 31 and ilange 33, resilient means are provided to press the supporting element 21 and pane 11 against the outward lateral wall of upper track 15. This resilient means consists of a leaf spring 53, somewhat sinusoidal in form, anchored at one end in a block 55 lixed on lower leg 29 and adapted to press against web 31 when abutting a pin 57 mounted on guide member 19 (FIG. 2) and projecting downwardly therefrom.

As seen from FIGS. 9 and l0, an arcuate notch 59 is cut out of upper member 3 for the reception of space wheel 51. This notch is located adjacent the center of the frame so that Wheel 51 enters it at the end of the closure movement of the pane.

Mounting of inner pane 11 into position in frame 1 is obtained as follows:

Supporting element 21 as well as supporting element removable portion 25 are both slid over guide member 19 in the position shown in FIG. 2 particularly, with upper leg 27 slidably resting on the guide member and lower leg 29 projecting underneath thereof. At this moment, parts 21 and 25 are still separated.

Holding part 23 is then made to hold pane 11 by one edge thereof, by slipping lug 39 into cooperating slot 41. Thereafter, lug 39 of the other holding part 23 is slipped into the other edge slot 41. In doing this, engagement plate 43 is slid over lower leg 29 of supporting element 21 with the threaded shank of wing nut 47 travelling in slot 45 (FIG. 5). When the inner pane 11 is in position, nut 47 is tightened to hold parts 25 and 21 in fixed relative position. The window hangs in harne 1 and may be moved manually by manipulating wing nut 47.

Removal of the pane is depicted in FIGS. 14 to 17 and is accomplished by doing the same operations as aforesaid, in reverse. Wing nut 47 is first unscrewed and removable part 2S slid off the pane as well as the other holding part 23. The pane is then free from the supporting element 21 and only need be raised and slipped out of the frame, as best seen in FIGS. 16 and 17.

The use of spring means 53, 55, 57 is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the closed position of pane 11, the

outermost part of arcuate leaf spring 53 abuts pin 57 and is slightly deformed so as to produce a pressing force, shown by arrow A in FIG. 9, which pushes supporting element 21 and pane 11 against upper member 3. In this position, spacer wheel 51 is housed into notch 59 and does not interfere with the pressing of pane 11 against member 3.

As the pane is moved out of closed position by sliding in the direction of arrow B, FIG. 10, spacer Wheel 51 gradually comes out of notch 59 and spaces inner pane 11 away from member 3. This also has the eifect of pulling inner pane 11 away from outer pane 9 as clearly seen from the leftward part of FIG. 2. It will be observed from that latter part also, that in this freed position, inner pane 11 is slightly inclined on account of the canteever hanging of supporting element 21.

When spring means 53, 55, 57 presses the upper part of inner pane 11, in closed position, this is usually not suiicient to provide a tight closure of the bottom part of pane 11 in lower track 17. For this purpose, it is proposed to include further pressing means in the window sill 61 (FIG. 2) to force the pane against the wall of track 17.

The embodiment is shown in FIGS. 2, 1l, l2 and 13. It simply consists of a threaded rod 63 freely mounted for rotation in a suitable aperture in sill 61. The rod is non-axially movable by the provision of the arrangement shown which consists in two nuts 65 fixed in position and separated from a knob 67 by a bearing plate 69 fixed to the sill. At the other end of rod 63, and screwed thereto, is a non-pivotable block, axially movable in a suitable housing 73. For convenience, the block may be provided with a frontal plate 72.

Block 73 is free to press against inner pane 11 by rotation of knob 67 and frictionally lock the said pane in position; either closed, open, or intermediate.

As seen in FIGS. ll, l2 and 13, the same pressing arrangement may be used for the pane on the inward side of the frame as well as that on the outward side thereof.

FIG. 2, also shows the usual weatherstrips 75 in position against the outer pane of the window. Also shown are condensation drains 82 which serve to direct water of condensation into a collecting concave channel 84. Channel 84 also prevents rain water from running to the building walls.

FIG. 18 shows a screen frame 77 particularly adapted for this type of window. Note that it is provided with peripheral Weatherstrips 75' adapted to enter grooves 79 on the side and upper member of frame 1 to retain frame 77 in position. Locking of the frame may be obtained by means of screws terminated by a locking pin 83 engageable in a suitable hole 35 in frame 77.

Also, a rubber strip 86 is embedded in the screen frame on the side member thereof which comes in contact with an outer pane 9 to protect the latter.

Although a specic example of the invention has been given, it should be understood that its scope is to be delined only by the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A sashless window comprising: a frame having an upper horizontal member; a horizontal guide member fixed to said upper member in said frame; a supporting element having a horizontal portion slidably mounted on said guide member; a window pane; said supporting element being formed of two aligned holding parts; coupling means for joining adjacent ends of said holding parts together by axial displacement thereof; a groove cut out of each side edge of said pane at the upper portion thereof; a lug on the other end of each of said holding parts; said lugs being laterally engageable in said grooves to hang said pane in said frame while said coupling means joins said adjacent ends together.

2. A sashless window comprising: a frame having an upper horizontal member; a groove in said member facing inwardly ot' said frame; a horizontal substantially flat guide member iiXed to said upper member and overhanging said groove; a supporting element having a horizontal portion slidably mounted on said guide member; a pane; said supporting element being formed of a rst and second aligned holding parts; coupling means for joining adjacent ends of said parts together; the other end of each said holding parts having a downward extension with a lug at the end thereof; a notch cut out of each side edge of said pane at the upper portion thereof; said lugs being laterally engageable in said notches to hang said pane in said frame while said coupling means joins said adjacent ends together.

3. A sashless window comprising: a frame having an upper horizontal member; a groove in said upper member, inwardly of said frame, having parallel vertical walls, a at guide member fixed to said upper member and overhanging said groove; a U-shaped supporting element having parallel horizontal legs; the upper leg of said element being slidably mounted on said guide member; said supporting element being formed of a rst and second aligned holding parts; coupling means for joining adjacent ends of said parts together; the other end of each said holding parts having a downward extension with a lug at the end thereof; a window pane; a notch cut out of each side edge of said pane at the upper portion thereof; said lugs being laterally engageable into said notches to hang said pane into said frame while said coupling means joins said adjacent ends together; abutment means on said guide member; resilient means on the lower leg of the said supporting member cooperating with said abutment means to press the upper part of the pane against one of said parallel walls of said groove.

4. A sashless window as claimed in claim 3, wherein said coupling means comprises a longitudinal slot at the end of the lower leg of one or" said holding parts; an overhanging plate iXed to the lower leg of the other of said holding parts and overhanging said slot; screw means eX- tending through said slot to releaseably secure the two parts together.

5. A sashless window as in claim 3 wherein said abutment means is a downwardly projecting pin and said resilient means is a leaf spring located between said pane and said pin and engageable with the latter upon predetermined travel of said pane.

6. A sashless window as in claim 5, a freely rotatable wheel on the upper leg of said U-shaped supporting element extending past the lateral edge of said upper leg in the direction of said one of said parallel walls; a notch in the latter wall; said wheel being driven into said notch upon engagement of said leaf spring by said pin.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the tile of this patent 629,165 Larson July 18, 1899 2,638,189 Watkins May 12, 1953 2,754,535 Plemeng July 17, 1956 

1. A SASHLESS WINDOW COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING AN UPPER HORIZONTAL MEMBER; A HORIZONTAL GUIDE MEMBER FIXED TO SAID UPPER MEMBER IN SAID FRAME; A SUPPORTING ELEMENT HAVING A HORIZONTAL PORTION SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER; A WINDOW PANE; SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT BEING FORMED OF TWO ALIGNED HOLDING PARTS; COUPLING MEANS FOR JOINING ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID HOLDING PARTS TOGETHER BY AXIAL DISPLACEMENT THEREOF; A GROOVE CUT OUT OF EACH SIDE EDGE OF SAID PANE AT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF; A LUG ON THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID HOLDING PARTS; SAID LUGS BEING LATERALLY ENGAGEABLE IN SAID GROOVES TO HANG SAID PANE IN SAID FRAME WHILE SAID COUPLING MEANS JOINS SAID ADJACENT ENDS TOGETHER. 